Double Decker

Last week my brother Brent flew in to surprise his wife (he is in training in North Carolina for the Marines). We had everyone over to our house and my Mom brought some yummy sweet pork burritos for dinner. I didn't get any pictures other than this double decker my Dad put together for Gwen. She LOVED it!

Some Randoms

Here are a few pics of Gwen and one of Rachel

Gwen was as happy as me to get our piano moved in.

Just a little preview of Gwen's Halloween costume....thanks Lyvi for the loaner.

Enjoying her banana muffin at the munch and mingle after church.

Another dance for Rachel. Saturday was Homecoming. I love her dark hair especially with this dress!

Happy Birthday To Me!

I had the best birthday yesterday! I slept in (a highly valued thing around here) then went to Home Depot to buy some curtain rods. Jared hung up the rods. Then we went to my Mom's where I got a back and a foot rub from Rachel, the boys made cinnamon rolls for me with my Mom and helped prepare for the BBQ. Then went over to Ashley's house for a BBQ/swim party that was a blast. Here are a few highlights from the party.

This huge teeter-totter gets pretty scary if the person on the other end weighs a lot more than you do.

Gwen sat in her Bumbo for about an hour while people stuffed food in her face. Then she had a lot of fun getting tossed around in the pool.

Gwen with my cousin Kristen

Gwen and Rachel

And on to the giant metal tree that is at least 20 ft. high.

Jared's first jump

Just jumping wasn't good enough so how about a back flip (I about had a heart attack!)

Cole decided to take Briant up to the top, again another heart attack. He had to do some convincing. See him thinking about it....

getting up some nerve....

and were off!

He was sooo proud of himself he went up and did it again. (It still took him about 10 min. the 2nd time to get up enough nerve)

I think that I was a bigger wimp than Briant. I had Rachel giving me a pep talk.

I know not my best shot but it's proof that I jumped!

This is my crazy 8 year old cousin McKenna. She was not afraid of anything.

Max stuck to jumping off the waterfall. He really wanted to jump off the tree but my heart couldn't handle it.

Here is Briant on the rope swing before it broke. It was a lot of fun while it lasted, luckily no one got hurt too bad when it broke, I think my cousin Nate got a little scraped up.

Briant jumping off the waterfall.

Kristen can do pretty much anything and can do it with perfect form.

Jared had a hard time letting Kristen pass him up so he did everything she did, just not as perfectly.

Derek and Ashley

Thanks Ashley for letting us come over! And thanks to everyone for making my birthday a great one!

My Little Angel

Two years ago today little Alice entered our lives. We think about her often, and the boys ask about her often. She will always be a sweet part of our lives and we can't wait to hold her in our arms again.

Cool Head

Last week when I dropped Max off at preschool his teacher Suzanne walked over to the car and told me that when one of the kids saw us pull up he said "Yesss! The kid with the cool head is here!"

Not cool

The other day Briant came home from school and asked me in a very sweet voice if I could buy some brown paper lunch sacks for his school lunches. I asked him what was wrong with his cool power ranger lunch box? He replied "It's just not very cool."

Gwen's B-Day continued

My family came over the day after we got home from the cabin to celebrate Gwen's birthday.

My Mom and Dad got Gwen a doll with hair (Gwen is obsessed with hair) and a stroller. She loves the stroller but loves to pick the doll up and throw her. I hope she eventually develops some motherly qualities.

Erinn made an amazing quiet book for Gwen. This is my favorite page. I love the book and I know it took a lot of time to make. Thanks family!